Day # 1 Today was my first day of taking 50 mg of spironolactone. I've been sitting on this prescription for a few months but after seeing how horrendous my skin was getting, i just decided to take the plunge. I don't think my acne is hormonal per se as I have it all month long but the worst of it seems to be around my mouth and chin though its spread to other areas of my face. I've been dealing with this plague for over 16 years and after a successful course of accutane which put me in remission, the acne has come back. It's been hell since 2011. I had started another course of accutane last year but ended up in the ER with off the charts liver enzymes. Since that time, I have been on the topical roller coaster. Due to eczema, I am no longer able to tolerate topicals so this is my last resort before groveling and possibly going on an ultra low dose course of accutane.....again. I have pretty much tried everything: BP Birth Control Antibiotics Topicals from derm Accutane Diet changes (paleo, gluten/dairy free) Hoping to get some support here and maybe i'll be brave and post some pictures. Thanks for joining me on my journey Lee Updated on 22 Sep 2015: So i've been on spiro for a week and I think I am breaking out more. I have quite the cyst on my right jaw line and under my chin is getting smaller breakouts. My right side upper cheek has several red bumps that are not quite as deep. I also have several superficial breakouts on both sides of my mouth, chin, cheeks and forehead. All in all, my face is a hot mess. My face is not any dryer than it usually is. Side Effects that I am experiencing include: feeling lightheaded feeling loopy more bathroom trips (though not too excessive...yet) more acne (including cysts) Side effects are manageable so far. Hoping things don't get too much worse or that this treatment ends up not working as I have nothing else to try after this. Updated on 25 Sep 2015: I do believe I have entered my initial breakout and it is horrific to say the least. Red, inflamed bumps (some pus filled) along my right and left mouth, chin and jaw. I also have cystic type acne on my neck and under chin which is not the norm for me. Boo boo. My skin is also so parched looking which adds to this lovely picture......not fun! My left side is doing better than my right side which has so much bumps, redness and hyper pigmentation from past and present acne. It also itches something fierce. I am honestly scared thinking about how much worse it will get, especially with my brothers wedding coming up and picture day at work. I guess all I can do is ride it out......feels like accurate all over again except I knew for a fact that accurate would help some......this, I'm not so sure of. Updated on 27 Sep 2015: Updated on 3 Oct 2015: Almost at the three week mark and not an ounce of improvement. Things have definitely gotten worse and I am breaking out in multiple spots everyday. It was really bad from last week Friday to this past Monday with 13 whiteheads. They started to dissipate by Tuesday and now the cycle has started again. My forehead which has usually been the least worrisome area is so congested and is beginning to get inflamed acne - Yippee! My right side is the worse side as of now and it has been that way for a few weeks. Hating every minute of this. Side effects are minimal and manageable. I wash my hair tomorrow so will update on the hair shedding side effect. Hoping to increase to 100 mg by next week. Updated on 4 Oct 2015: Well some positive news.....finally. Washed my hair and no unusual shedding to report. My previous shedding was most likely either due to starting spiro or because my hair was in serious need of a trim. Acne wise, same ole same ole. I have not been examining my face in the mirror which has kept my stress levels in check. Going to probably add updated pictures on the 21st day or at the end of the first month. If i do not begin to see improvement, I will more likely than not up to 100 mg at the end of my first month on spiro. Updated on 5 Oct 2015: Skin is doing terrible. It's dry, irritated looking and my dermatitis is acting up. So depressing. I also have a few whiteheads which bugs the ish out of me. Not as bad as last week but still, those pimples are so noticeable and I can't pop them (per my derms instructions). I feel like this is never ending. My derm recommended oracea (an anti biotic used to treat Rosacea) which I'm not sure if I will take. Upwards and onwards I suppose Updated on 10 Oct 2015: Updated on 14 Oct 2015: I made it through month one. It's been a rough month. No improvement at all and acne and skin in general is much more inflamed and broken out than when i started. I started 100 mg today (have been on 50 mg before then). In all honesty, i can't forsee things getting better. Side effects: constant tiredness frequent urination dry mouth dry, itchy skin more acne This medication has also broken out my back which has NEVER been an issue.I'm bummed and somewhat discouraged but from doing my research i know that any progress that may be seen may not come until 3-6 months. I have a prescription for oracea (low dose doxy) but i'm holding off, for now. If things continue, I may just have to take the plunge and take it. Hope everyone else on this drug is having better luck than I am. Updated on 17 Oct 2015: A few days ago i upped to 100 mg broken into two 50 mg doses and the side effects have ramped up. I'm peeing so much and it is interrupting my sleep schedule I have dry mouth/feel dehydrated experiencing another flare experiencing dryer skin that feels sensitive (more than it already is) Hoping that these slowly dissipate, especially the purging and peeing. Will post week 5 pictures in a few days. Updated on 18 Oct 2015: I washed my hair this morning and holy hell! I am shedding like a chameleon. This happened when i first started spiro and then it leveled out so i am hoping and praying that is the case. The weird thing though is that hair shedding was more prominent on the top half of my head than it was on the bottom. I'm definitely keeping an eye on this and will update again the next time I wash my hair. Updated on 21 Oct 2015: Picture time. Things are not looking good. My right side is broken out and inflamed. The acne has begun to clear up on my cheeks but has begun on my lower right jaw. I have several super red (papules and pustules) pimples. I am also getting deeper red papules that turn into pustules above my lip and sides of my nose. My left side has some inflammation but nothing compared to my right side. My skin is so dry and itchy too no matter how much moisturizer I use (I think this is contributing to the inflammation). I started taking Oracea today (after holding off for so long) too so I'm hoping it helps more than it hurts. So to summarize: Positives: None Negatives: Itchy, dry, inflamed skin Flare of inflamed acne (papules and pustules) Excessive hair shedding (for me) Updated on 24 Oct 2015: Thanks to all of you that have been following my journey. I just wanted to say that the picture quality has been crappy as i am using an ipad air 2 camera. I did a few videos which is much better quality but for some reason, this website is giving me an issue with uploading them. If anyone is interested in seeing the video, message me and i will be glad to share! Updated on 31 Oct 2015: So it's confirmed. Spiro is definitely causing my hair to come out. This happened when I first started on 50 mg and also when I took accutane. Sigh....the upside is that my hair was much easier to comb through. In a few weeks or so, I will be going to a salon and having them trim or cut the dead ends and see if that makes a difference. I don't want to have to resort to taking biotin (as that in itself can cause more acne). In a week or so, i will be starting a b complex per my naturopaths request. Also, she is giving me zinc to help my acne heal faster. It never worked for me before but I could use all the help I can get. I'll update soon and see if the trend continues. Updated on 31 Oct 2015: Slowly chugging to the two month mark and surprise surprise....still breaking out. I had a pretty nasty breakout that started two weeks ago that has dried up but now some new pimples are coming up in and around the same area. My left side AKA 'the better side' is also getting some inflammation. They start out as these tiny bumps then they multiply and blow up. Forehead is doing ok. Skin is meh. I can't even judge if things are better or worse as things are always coming and going so I am going to end this update by saying, the magic of spiro has not kicked in yet. Onwards and upwards. Updated on 6 Nov 2015: I had my derm appointment on Wednesday and she seems happy with the direction things are going. Of course, my skin wasn't as bad then but 2 days later and a lot of those closed comedones are multiplying and forming red pimples so...... I see her on January 6th as there is no point going any sooner. If by then things are not improved, I will either consider increasing my dosage (providing this hair stops coming out) or seriously consider a low dose course of accutane......again. I'm leaning more towards increasing the dosage as my accutane success days seem to be something of the past. My forehead has a few closed comedones that are seeming more apparent despite nightly differin use. The bigger pimples I have are starting to go down (or at the very least not getting any bigger). The closed comedones on my left mouth/chin area have turned into pimples but so far, not too nasty. My right side on the other hand is breaking out in more comedones that are turning into pimples. I count upwards of 10-15 comedones/pimples. I just pray they do not turn into pus filled things as I am flying to Florida today and going to my brothers wedding tomorrow Sans makeup. Skin is looking pretty rough- not the worse that it has been on this journey but close enough. I so wish I could wear makeup but the thought of covering up my acne makes me even more ashamed than having acne. It's like I am embarrassed of a part of me. I hope this spiro works so that I can try makeup and not feel like a big ole fraud. Pictures at some point next week or I may wait for day #60. Updated on 7 Nov 2015: My right side is inflamed! It's acne but also an eczema flare. Used my Elidel cream so hoping at the least it helps with the redness. It looks really bad. I think the Florida water and weather is partially to blame...not happy. Updated on 14 Nov 2015: Wow, it's hard to believe it's been two months already! It hasn't been rainbows and unicorns, far from it but I'm getting through each day. I will post pictures hopefully this week. Some things i am noticing is that my acne has been extremely itchy. This could be due to my skin being so darn dry due to spiro and the weather changes. I try not to itch but it is hard. I thankfully have not been getting a ton of pus filled pimples (i have 4 small ones now) but I am still breaking out extensively on both sides of my mouth and chin. The big pimples on my outer cheeks are finally receding but i am getting smaller ones (closed comedones?) All in all, things suck but I know it could be worse. Here's to things at least not getting extensively worse. Pictures to come...... Updated on 15 Nov 2015: Terrible Quality. A lot of little bumps, mainly on chin/mouth area and a few pus filled pimples. Thankfully only a few larger bumps. Updated on 17 Nov 2015: I am beginning to get lumps on my left inner cheek (4 as of now). They don't quite feel like cysts but are looking like them. This is new to me as I don't get much acne in that area.... So discouraging. I also have so many small bumps around my mouth, more than I can count, giving me a rashy look and feel. I don't know what the heck is going on! My skin is also dry and flaky. I was taking zinc per my naturopaths request but I stopped as it was making me majorly dry. Lastly I have broken out terribly under my jaw. If that's not discouraging, I don't know what is. Today is a day I feel like giving up. Updated on 27 Nov 2015: I am surrounded by family so I haven't been able to take pics but I'll try this weekend. My acne has been receding a bit and the past few days have been really decent. I still have pimples coming up but so far, no disgusting whitehead clusters. I have a painful one under my chin and a few red lumps around my jaw/chin but it's been ok. The real struggle I am facing is really bad dryness. My eczema on my face is out of control and I am back to using my Elidel. The dry skin is almost as bad as the acne. I ordered two new moisturizers so we'll see how that works out. My eating has been crazy so acne is flaring but hopefully after the holidays I will get back on track. If it wasn't for the dryness, I would be semi happy about my skin. Updated on 5 Dec 2015: I am still breaking out but it is way better than what i know it can be. I think the combo of meds is beginning to work. Also, i went and finally got my haircut and my hair is in great condition. So far, i haven't had much side effects except for dryness and some eczema flaring. Hoping that things continue and that i stop breaking out all together but we'll see. Gonna try and get a picture at some point this week. Updated on 6 Dec 2015: Pictures-finally. It sucks because yesterday I had maybe 2 noticeable pimples and today I have 8. The sucky part of acne treatment is finally thinking it's going away only to have things pop up. To my credit, I've been eating terrible since Thursday and of course there was Thanskgiving. It makes me think that even though diet may not clear my skin, it does keep acne from getting worse when paired with other forms of treatment...hmmm. Back on my routine today.....green smoothie, here I come ! Updated on 9 Dec 2015: This seems to happen to me EVERY TIME that I THINK I am making PROGRESS.....so FRUSTRATING! Well my skin is back to being it's usual self with whiteheads, small and large pimples and a cyst that just won't quit! This pimple was a closed comedone that overnight seemed to turn into a hard little thing, which morphed into a hard big thing and now it is back to being a hard little thing. Still filled with something, still purple but at least its not painful. Under my chin seems to be breaking out a lot more in the last month or so but since no one but me can see it, i don't stress it as much (the cyst is under my chin too). The real bane of my existence ATM are the little inflamed minions on my lip line, chin and outer mouth area. On the left side I have 8 (a few with pus....fun!) and on my right side, 1 right on the corner of my mouth also with pus. My right side also has quite a few closed comedones in that area that may decide to impede on my life and morph into who knows what. I also have small red bumps on both cheeks that are red and smallish. My left cheek also welcomed in 2 larger under the skin bumps so super excited about that! As you can probably tell, i'm really pissed and irritated to all hell but i shouldn't be surprised. My skin is just being it's lovely bipolar self. As i enter into the third month/approach the forth month, may i see more consistent improvement as I don't know how much more of this I can take. Updated on 20 Dec 2015: So almost to the 100 day mark. As you can see, my breakouts while still there are getting smaller and smaller and smaller. For some reason, my lip line has been constantly breaking out which sucks but it could be worse. What has been an issue is the dryness and eczema that is being exasperated by the cold weather. Also, my skin has been really red lately. I am moisturizing like crazy and drinking lots of water and green juices. I only use my eczema cream when absolutely necessary. Hair has been great so no issues on that front. I've survived 3 months so I am committed to doing another few more months to see if this will indeed pan out long term. Pros: Smaller breakouts longer periods between nasty breakouts Cons redness dryness still breaking out consistently (lip line has been pretty bad) Going on vacation on Thursday so hopefully will provide an update after the holidays. Merry Christmas to all that celebrate. Updated on 22 Dec 2015: My lip area is getting on my last nerve. Pimple upon pimple upon pimple and those mofos itch like a mutha. Breaking out on my cheeks and chin but lip line is the worse at this time. The most frustrating thing is not knowing WHY I'm breaking out and WHAT is causing it. Keeping my fingers crossed that by the weekend things will start to heal. So far, things are just getting worse. btw: pictures are not as clear which is why I wish the website was not giving me such a hard time with video.....sigh Updated on 28 Dec 2015: Crappy eating makes things much worse....I see that now. The inflamed acne on my lips are finally going away and now I'm dealing with tons of clogged pores that are red from the eczema. These thankfully come and go rather than stay indefinitely but it's still not a joy to look at. I am grateful that at least my face is presentable and I'm not feeling as insecure as I normally do. I'm almost at the four month mark so I think I just need to keep on going. If at 6 month it's still meh, I will probably increase to 150 mg. my derm appointment is next week so I will most likely update then. Updated on 1 Jan 2016: The unpredictability of my skin is very frustrating. Once again, the larger bumps started going away so that on New Years Eve, my skin was all closed comedones. But alas, come New Years Day, the right side of my mouth broke out in pus filled pimples ( the worst kind to have afte cysts in my opinion). I have 6 by my nose and upper right mouth area, 5 on my right side chin and about 3-4 on my right side lower cheek. These areas are of course where I have gotten the nasty whitehead breakouts in the past. Hoping this clears up by weeks end but since my period is coming this week, who knows. So bummed, annoyed, frustrated ....... I see the derm Wednesday. Updated on 7 Jan 2016: Skin looks like crap- don't want to deal with this anymore. Updated on 10 Jan 2016: I am 2 days shy of the 4th month mark and I am so broken out. Thankfully no cysts but a lot if inflamed pimples and pus filled one. My forehead is also breaking out. The inflammation is insane. My period is ending so we'll see if things start to heal or not. The past nine days have been hell for me and a lesson in patience. I've been so stressed in my life......this just adds to it. Updated on 16 Jan 2016: I was hesitant to post progress pictures as it seems that things have not been getting better for the last few weeks but rather worse. I believe the eczema is making everything seem much worse than it should be. The forehead breakout I had this past week is clearing up and the lower sides of my mouth are not inflamed as much. My inner and to some extent, my outer cheeks are taking a beating though. Lots of inflammation and it's the large red bumps that stay under the skin for a while making the surrounding area red and irritated. My lip line is becoming infected again so no surprise there. I do have two larger bumps on my forehead but it's much more tolerable than the cluster that was there this last week. Overall, acne has been getting worse in the last two weeks. I've figured that the weather and my period really affect me so there is nothing to be done about that unfortunately. Am I disappointed....yes. I expected to at least see some consistent progress by now. Am I giving up ......no. I am going to see 100mg through to 6 months and then increase to 150mg. See you all next week. Updated on 23 Jan 2016: I am so grateful for a forum like this. Especially when going through the rough patches. My poor skin! It seems that a pattern may be emerging. Two weeks before my period, a decline in my skin, a brief clearing and bam.... The cycle begins. My skin last weekend was still inflamed but getting better but a week later, acne all over. Some of it looks like irritation acne from the weather as well as from eczema but I also have so many pustules, especially on the right side and chin areas. The last bad breakout period lasted two weeks with only a few days reprieve before declining again. Is Spiro not working? Updated on 30 Jan 2016: It'll be interesting to see if I am able to track a pattern with the worst of the breakouts. That way I can mentally prepare myself for them. This week there has been a lot of inflammation and a few larger bumps that take longer to go away. I am also getting a ton of closed comedones which is usually the norm around this time of the month. I am on the third day of my period and it is quite painful. As seems to be the norm, the right side of my face is taking the brunt of things with about 3 very large pimples and a ton of smaller ones. I am so happy I am documenting my progress because at times when the breakouts get bad (bad for me anyway) I think that it is abnormal but being able to look back, I am able to see that my skin cycles which is some consolation. If there is a pattern, in 6-8 days, things should begin to calm down but we'll see. Skin sucks today as usual. Enjoy the pictures! Updated on 7 Feb 2016: I think I see a pattern. I am starting to clear up in some areas right on schedule. It seems that about 5-7 days after my period , the acne lessens for a few days then flares. This flare continues till my period starts again and it doesn't calm down till 5-7days after my period. What this means, I don't know. Still mucking through. I have a couple inflamed suckers , one under my chin and on my left chin. I also have one on my right cheek. The eczema has been pretty bad for a week or so so I have been using the cream daily, of course I am breaking out in those areas. I also have smaller pimples that are less noticeable but are still there. My forehead has been struggling to but whatever. An increase is most likely in a month or so. I'm a few days shy of the five month mark so I'll be sure to review the pros and cons of my journey so far. In the meantime, I am enjoying this reprieve.....while I can. Updated on 11 Feb 2016: My jawline took a beating this week. Eczema made the acne much worse and I've had to spend a lot of time icing that part of my face. I also have painful bumps under my nose that I can't wait to turn into whiteheads so they can disappear. I am also breaking out again on my right side. I have been tracking the acne and I do see the pattern but I don't know what to do with that info. It seems that out of the month, I'm lucky to get 4-5 tolerable days....sigh. Is this what my life is going to be? Skin that looks ok for 5 days out of the month? Five months in and while things are better than the early months, still consistently breaking out. I wonder if I would see more improvement if the weather weren't so bipolar. Pictures to come this weekend. Updated on 13 Feb 2016: A lot of the inflammation is in the healing process and new comedones are coming up but not inflamed yet. Taking it one step at a time. I'm on vacation this week so we'll see if the lack of stress and sleep helps things some. We're officially at the five month mark. Updated on 15 Feb 2016: Sometimes as bad as the physical sides of things are, the emotional component can be much worse. As someone with depression, I can tell you being emotionally captive to internal thoughts and feelings can literally bring a rational person to the brink and cause them to interpret and do things they wouldn't otherwise do. I fight this emotional side everyday and every night, I have to thank God that I've survived another day inside this body and skin. For all those going through the emotional pain of skin issues, relationship issues, body issues, life issues, know that you are not: Crazy Unreasonable Undeserving Unloved Or any of the other comments people usually brand us with. Right now my acne is better in someways but still there. I'm emotionally bonded to that girl that had near severe acne and in her 30's, still suffer with chronic acne. Every breakout is like a reversal back to the 'worse breakout ever' and it's like I'm emotionally imprisoned . This is where it helps to take pictures, keep a log and to acknowledge the moments when you can't just be cool with it. God is getting me through this and I hope a time will come where I can "acne, no problem" and keep it moving but until then, I'm going to continue to be human and to grow from an experience that was never my choice or my fault. Updated on 20 Feb 2016: My period started today and for a period week, my skin is not all that bad. The last few days haven't been great but it hasn't been terrible either. Most of the inflammation is on my right chin area and it is tiny red bumps which I think is due to irritation by weather which of course incites the eczema. My forehead has a few bumps as well as my chin but overall, my skin is tolerable. Another new discovery: after my period ends, it starts again within 18 days. It used to be 21 days which isn't a big deal but this new timing has been consistent the last 3 cycles so it tells me my hormones are changing ( hopefully for the better). It'll be interesting to see if the spring weather will alter my results as the irritation factor of weather will be a non issue. For everyone on Spiro, hopefully from my experience you can be encouraged. It takes a looooooong time and is very frustrating so if you are still struggling 5 or more months down the line, you are not alone. Updated on 24 Feb 2016: My frustration level this week is beyond high. My forehead is broken out almost as bad as it was in January. It's only getting worse and spreading to new areas. I'm hoping that after a week post period it will begin to go away. My chin is also a bloody mess.....so much inflammation. It is clear that 100mg is not my magic number. The weather has been better so no excuses there. Feeling discouraged by the process....... Updated on 1 Mar 2016: All those little closed comedones and breakouts have turned into bigger wide spread breakouts pretty much concentrated on chin, sides of mouth and forehead. It's red, dry and very irritated looking. I'm pretty much done and not sure what the next step up from Spiro is. I've literally exhausted all my options. Could definitely use some support. Updated on 3 Mar 2016: As the title says, it's my first day the increased dose of 150 mg. I was going to wait till next week but with this currently breakout, my frustration took the best of me. I have only posted pictures of the worst areas but don't be fooled, acne is on my forehead and on cheeks, just not as bad. I feel as I did when I first started. Apprehensive, scared, annoyed, etc. My improvement has stalled and in many ways regressed. In two months I see my derm but I honestly don't know where to go from here. Topicals are out for sure as is antibiotics. I really don't want to do accutane again and with the eczema, I don't think that could or would work. Lasers are a no go and facials, even the gentle ones are a no go. Anyone else whose been on Spiro has any suggestions? Am I wasting my time with this? Updated on 5 Mar 2016: Can I say how much I love the real self app! It makes uploading pics a breeze. Back to Spiro...... I'm 3 days into the increased dosage and I continue to breakout. Every time I have increased my dosage, my breakouts increase so we'll see how bad my skin gets in the upcoming weeks and months. I am experiencing an increase in dryness and stinging of my skin when applying moisturizer so I know that some of the bumps may be caused by irritation versus acne. This has been happening on and off for a few months. The temps dropped again so it's making my eczema worse. My skin is in pretty bad shape, compared to when I started. I'm tempted to give holistic a try but then I think about the amount of money I've wasted thus far, could have bought so many other things.......sigh. I'm committed to giving this till my derm appt in May but after that, I'm going to ask about other treatments. Emotionally, this has been a horrible week for me. I'm having a hard time seeing my skin like it is....getting back to reading my bible will hopefully put me in a different head space. Updated on 13 Mar 2016: I'm a day shy of the 6th month mark! I can't believe I've stuck Spiro out this long. So the new dosage has been going ok. No crazy side effects as of yet. The past week has been a bit of clearing so I was happy about that. My forehead acne has died down lots and the upper cheek acne is going away . My right chin though is about to breakout like it did two weeks ago because I am getting the tell tale signs of comedones and itching. I have about 6-12 so they may or may not all produce those pus filled bombs. I do have 2 inflamed zits ATM but I don't think they'll last. My chin is the bane of my existence and so far, Spiro has proved ineffective. My period is supposed to start tomorrow so I'm right on schedule in regards to the breakout. I'm learning that I just have to ride through the rough patches as they're coming whether or not I stress them. Updated on 19 Mar 2016: Just ended my period so this week has been flare week for me. It will continue for a week or so and then I'll hopefully get a few days break. My right side is a bite more inflamed than my left. Didn't feel like taking pictures because there is no progress to speak of, just the same cycle repeated. But I'm committed to seeing this log through and that's what I'll do. I may just continue using spiro till I hit the one year mark but I don't know. It's something to discuss with the derm. I've reduced oraclea use to once every other day and I hope to completely ween off in a few months. Updated on 31 Mar 2016: I've been trying to post this update since last week (3/25) but real self seemed to be glitchy. Any who. Skin has been its usual temperamental self. Pictures are not half bad but the inflammation comes and goes. Not horrendous though so that's a blessing. Still no consistency. What has been pretty consistent though is the irritation that eczema is bringing. I have been so itchy and I know for a fact that some of the acne is in fact irritated skin as the eczema cream calms it down big time. Even when I get hot or sweat, my skin turns bright red and these little bumps (sometimes pus filled) appear. They last for a few days and disappear. This is really putting a damper on my quest to be healthier in terms of working out. Any tips? Will post the most recent update and pics on Saturday so stay tuned. Updated on 3 Apr 2016: Lots of inflammation under the skin. Now that my period is near, A lot of that is turning into pulse and pustules. My chin of course is taking the brunt and my lip line. Not the worst that it has been, far from it, but still equally annoying. I am very glad that I am taking pictures as I can see that my skin cycles so I know that Spiro is doing something. It is not enough but I'll deal with alternative treatments when the time comes. I'm struggling to get my eating back on track. Having crappy skin feeds into my depression cycle and all I want to do is eat.....grrrrrrrr. Updated on 10 Apr 2016: Pretty decent breakout in progress. Lip line and sides of mouth. Chin is also a mess with a rash of red pimples. My cheeks hav also been breaking out on the right side which is not unusual but it hasn't happened in a while. At least 4-6 inflamed bumps there. This honestly sucks and I am frustrated as usual but I think I'm at the point where I don't give a crap. I've started eating better, especially when it comes to portion control so hopefully this will help me to at least feel better about my body. Looking forward to seeing my naturopath again and getting my health back on track. Forehead has been pretty decent so that's a positive. Hair update: Spiro is definitely doing something to my hair. It feels thinner but I have not been losing hair so I don't know what gives. Maybe it's changing the texture but it's something I'll be watching. Losing my hair is not worth this subpar acne treatment. Updated on 15 Apr 2016: Crappy start to my weekend. Inflammation on both right and left side chin and worse than the acne is the dang itching. My the skin above my lip also has 4 pimples which came about very suddenly . Hopefully by Monday things will be looking up. Not looking forward to the process of starting over but alas, such is life. Updated on 16 Apr 2016: You can see the patch of eczema and a cyst or 2 on right upper cheek as well as the other ish on my poor face. I deal with this stuff daily and have since 2012. Feel like crying . I applied the eczema cream so we'll see if it helps with the redness and swelling at the very least....boo hoo :-( Updated on 24 Apr 2016: Still chugging along . I've come to see the ebs and flow of my acne so knowing to expect makes emotionally dealing with it much better. Skin is not horrible today. Most of my bumps are smaller so I can't complain too much. Taking it one step at a time Updated on 30 Apr 2016: This week has been quite pimply . Not unusual, especially for a period week but my period is late! It should have come 3 days ago and it hasn't . If it's not here by next week, I'll start to worry. I'm in a grouchy mood and right now, in this moment, my skin sucks. Allergies are in full swing, areas of my skin that were not dry are now dry and I'm getting hard (not cystic) acne everywhere (except in my forehead). I'm so frustrated and mad and pissed off and just plain ol annoyed. What's the darn point of even carrying on with this. Anyway, my left side is doing better but my right side from chin to cheek is breaking out. Cheeks have been ok these last few weeks but as soon as allergy season started, they started to breakout again. This next month, I am making a pledge to myself to not eat out, portion my foods and have a more balanced diet . I've never gone 30 days with this pledge. Still dairy and gluten free. Not expecting much and I'm not going crazy to say no meat or only vegan . Instead, everything will be made from scratch and if I do eat anything packaged, it must have less than 10 ingredients . See you all next week Updated on 6 May 2016: Skin is horrible........what else is there to say? Updated on 15 May 2016: This past week has been pretty good up until today . Now it's back into the cycle . Sucks but hey, I knew it was coming . I know when the forehead starts breaking out then I'm in trouble. Lip line is lit up and it's ugh. Seeing my derm in Wednesday so will update then . I've started drink two cups of oolong tea which is supposed to be good for eczema so I'll keep you posted Updated on 22 May 2016: Hello all! This will be a quick update as not much has changed. Still cycling through and still flaring. I think the eczema tea may be helping as my skin had not been so dry but it could also be because of the warm weather too. But only time will tell. Saw my derm this past week and she said to continue on for the next six months, until November at least. I told her that I didn't think spiro would do much more for me but she said hormones worked slow so to keep at it. It is what it is i guess. Not much else to say. Updated on 26 May 2016: This is the reason that eczema and acne sucks ! Double whammy- the flare up on right chin is pretty typical . Almost done with period so I know the next few days will be a challenge Boo Hoo! Updated on 27 May 2016: Today has been terrible. This flare is one of the worst and the cream is not working . Not sure what to do. So itchy and bumpy. Don't want to use a steroid. Very sad start to my Memorial Day weekend.???????????????????? Updated on 28 May 2016: Updated on 29 May 2016: I am so emotionally drained with this- I really am. Today I am going through a flare of my entire face and it's making me feel so uncomfortable and ugly. I've done a lot to build my self esteem up over this past year but it always seems like acne and eczema have a way of tearing down that work in mere days . I'm out if options. Diets didn't work for me , products didn't and now I don't think there is anything else left for me to try. I go see my naturopath in June and hopefully she'll offer some insight. I'll continue to take spiro and report back. Praying for he strength to get though this bumpy road (pun intended ) Updated on 6 Jun 2016: Skin is in that weird in between place of breakout clearing up and about to begin again. It's been super hot in NY and NJ so it doesn't help things much. Trying to not stress as much as possible but it's hard. Seeing my naturopath soon so I'll mention to her about being on spiro. She's going to be disappointed for sure since naturopathic medicine is all about doing things as natural as possible. But since spiro is helping somewhat, maybe it will give he tubsught on what my body needs to make gains. I'm also hoping to get help with my diet too. Thanks to everyone who has made helpful suggestions and kind words. It makes me feel less alone in this experience. Updated on 11 Jun 2016: This has been the longest stretch of semi decent skin I've had in a while - 11 whole days! Breakouts of course but hardly enough to stress out about. The streak has ended though and I am back to the breakouts. In the side by side comparisons, you'll see how my skin was 6 days prior and now. Not much to say. Eczema has not been too bad which I have been grateful for. Will update after my naturopath appt on Wednesday. On a positive note, forehead and cheeks have been pretty good. Updated on 18 Jun 2016: Started my period yesterday. Bumps started to go down but now coming back up. The sweat, humidity and my less than stellar eating does not help. Cancelled the doctor so I won't see her till early July. I've been stressed and that won't stop anytime soon. Trying to deal the best I can. Updated on 30 Jun 2016: Despite new breakouts, skin looked like it was healing but yesterday and even more so today, those little bumps have grown into pimples. I hate that they gather in the same area- it makes everything look worse. Ina w a cluster of about 8. They were comedones before. It seems that my breakout schedule is changing again. I should be clearing up by now but instead it's getting worse, go figure. I've been under extreme stress , eating badly and I'm sick. I also started taking zinc again. I definitely feel like stress doesn't help or eating like crap. I'm greatful for so much in life but not this. I'll post some pictures this weekend. Happy 4th! Updated on 3 Jul 2016: Grateful to some extent that my acne blends well into the reddish tanned look of my skin. Forehead is clearing up nicely and cheeks continue to do ok. My chin has this bumpy texture which I think are clogged pores and a few inflamed bumps. It has not gone away , only decreased and increased. I see naturopath Wednesday so we will see where we go from here. I stopped zinc as it was making things worse- weird as zinc usually helps. Damned if I do, damned if I don't. One area that I want to address with naturopath is diet. Right now it's ok which is ok but I'm striving for well balanced. I want to stop spiro but I want to have a stellar diet for at least half a year before doing so. That way I can have a baseline for products and supplements. Updated on 3 Jul 2016: Updated on 4 Jul 2016: Updated on 15 Jul 2016: It's been two weeks since my last update and I think ill continue to post every two weeks instead of weekly. Surprisingly, my skin has been better since last photos. I don't know what was up with the spotting or what's up with me period this month but it's throwing the cycle of my acne off. I am experiencing pms but so far, no activity. Ian starting to break out on my forehead and this usually signals the cycle is starting again so we'll see. There is one inflamed pimple on my forehead that looks like it is scanning over even though I didn't pick it and it's all red and itchy. How do people combat the redness without makeup or ice (which tends to have an adverse effect for me? I'm going to try a dab oh eluded to see if it helps the itches at least. So I recently went to my naturopath and I'm going to try altering my way of eating for general health purposes. I've been bloated, constipated and just feeling yucky so I know it's time for a change. I'll be: Changing up my smoothies (fruits and greens) Reducing meat and poultry consumption More and varied veggies More bean protein Fish Flax seed daily (only supplemental thing) My birthday is next week so it won't be perfect but at least it's a step towards a healthier me I want to start to reduce spiro and hopefully be off it by this time next year as it's not been the miracle I hoped for. Updated on 31 Jul 2016: Skin is broken out , even on less problematic areas and the eczema has been crazy out of control on my chin . Acne bumps are popping up there because I've had to slather on the eczema cream just to make it through the day . This was definitely exasperated by the heat for sure. I'm getting quite a few hard bumps under my cheeks and lower chin. Diet has been crap and even though I know I need to get better at it - eating well and not feeling the health benefits makes it hard. Due to a significant financial change in my life, I'm going to have no choice but to be diligent in my diet. See you all in two weeks. Updated on 5 Aug 2016: Been getting larger more inflamed bumps and quite recently, a ton of smaller ones that remind me of eczema as they are accompanied by that bone dryness. I'm staying busy as not to focus too much on it as there is not much to do but sit tight. I started eating a bit better but due to traveling back and fourth between two homes, it hasn't been consistent. Hopefully when I get moved into my new home I'll be able to have an iron clad routine. Updated on 6 Aug 2016: Feeling like crap Updated on 9 Aug 2016: The redness is patches of eczema and acne . Feeling crappy today - literally. I think I ate something bad . My face is so itchy and irritated .....grrrrr. This has been going on for almost a week Updated on 15 Aug 2016: Pre period acne. Flaring up again. It started to go down the last few days but it's back and it brought a few friends. Diet has been pretty horrible but I've been on the move. All this has been increasing my anxiety ten fold for sure . Thinking about accurate but not seriously. My eczema couldn't handle it . I'm not prepared to live with this for the rest of my life but I very well may have to. Updated on 19 Aug 2016: Aside from my acne, I have broken out all over my back and chest. The doctor I saw says it looks like contact dermatitis but I think it looks like insect bites as they itch and are spreading (partially due to my scratching). Whatever it is, my body is in inflammatory mode. I am breaking out behind my ears , on my neck and under my jaw as well as in the usual places. My period is also super later like it was like month. I think this is the beginning of the end for spiro and me as I am experiencing all the nasty side effects that usually come on early in treatment. This means that I really have to get serious about the diet and stress piece of things. My body is struggling and I need to try to help at as much as I can . Updated on 31 Aug 2016: I haven't updated in a while because for the last two weeks I've been dealing with something worse than acne. It's called pityriasis rosea and its caused by a virus. It's taken over my body and I just haven't been able to get into updating . This has to run its course and can last as long as three months. Hopefully soon I'll be able to refocus my attention soon. Updated on 11 Sep 2016: Chugging along. My pityriasis rosea is going away! Lots of marks but I'm glad to at least not itch and have the bumps! Very stressed the last few weeks with moving and starting school. Ate out a lot and my skin shows it. Back on track though. Acne on my right chin and lower/inner cheek. Eczema has been bad too and the humidity is a definite trigger. It brings that inflammation up. I don't know how to even begin addressing that. Need to strengthen my immune system as natural as possible so if anyone has any suggestion diet wise, let me know. I see the derm in November. Updated on 25 Sep 2016: I've been doing great emotionally! So much positive things happening in my life. A new house, great co-workers, a supportive family. My skin is one of the few things that make me sad but in the larger scheme of things, it's not a death sentence. My skin has been so so since my last update. My biggest area continues to be my chin/mouth area, most particularly my right side. It gets itchy, then bumpy with redness and stays that way for days then goes down to come back up again. I was tracking things but my period and acne pattern changed on me again so i gave up. My diet is crap and I honestly have not even made an effort to change that because I haven't seen it helping my skin BUT i know i need to change for my health as i am gaining weight. It took me a long time to get down to 150lbs and now i am closer to 165. Food is my comfort and it shouldn't be. In terms of acne treatments, i don't know where else to turn or what else to try. Spiro was a last resort med for me and now that i've tried and failed it...whats next? Updated on 11 Oct 2016: Broken out - not pretty. It's been slowly happening and tonight things just blew up. Not the worst it has been - far from it but still ..... acne is acne. Whats scary is to think what my skin would look like not on ANY treatment. Feeling lost Updated on 11 Oct 2016: Ugh! Updated on 12 Oct 2016: Forehead is the only clear space as well as cheeks (which i did not take a picture of) Updated on 16 Oct 2016: I'm feeling extremely frustrated today. So itchy. I am beginning to wonder if the eczema is the driving force behind my acne. The itchiness then breakouts which lead to redness and irritated skin . Can't use typical acne treatments and can't use steroids (wouldn't use them either ). Where is the next step up from here ? I'm also wondering what's the deal with exfoliation with acne. In the past, it has made things so much more irritated and this was done manually .......thoughts???? Updated on 31 Oct 2016: Skin has been tolerable the last week or so. I currently have a cluster of inflamed pimples under my nose and little minions on my chin- both sides . My forehead also has been getting a few inflamed bumps that seem to inflate and deflate rather quickly, plus they itch. I see my derm at some point in November to check in so we'll see what she says. I want to discuss with her the whole period being off target as well as possible transition plans after spiro. It helps me somewhat so I'm curious as to what other hormonal stuff besides BC I can use . Updated on 17 Nov 2016: So I had my follow up with my derm yesterday. I expressed my concern with still consistently breaking out on chin. I showed her pictures and she revisited her original theory that the bumps on my chin were perioral dermatitis. She gave me solara, a prescription used for mites found in rosacea. We are still sticking with the dosage of 150 mg day. I see her again in early January. Pictures coming this weekend. Updated on 24 Nov 2016: Pictures as promised. Going to be trying something called soolantra which is usually used in rosacea patients. This will be just for the mouth area. She thinks that what I have going on down here is not acne as much as it is perioral dermatitis. Going to start after the holidays once a day on mouth only. I see her in January Happy Thanksgiving! Updated on 25 Nov 2016: Updated on 28 Nov 2016: Updated on 28 Nov 2016: Updated on 28 Nov 2016: Eating like crap is A- not ok Updated on 5 Dec 2016: Chin is a bit better - in between that transition period. My right cheek is breaking out some as well as my forehead. I had to take a break from soolantra but will start again soon (hopefully) Updated on 24 Dec 2016: Merry Christmas to everyone. Sorry for the lack of updates but I've been super busy with work and college. My period is this week so I'm breaking out a bit more but it's not too bad-nothing unusual. I am currently using soolantra every other day and so far it hasn't been irritating. I guess it's just a matter of waiting and seeing if it works. Updated on 24 Dec 2016: Updated on 2 Jan 2017: My skin has been better than usual around the mouth area. As you can tell, I am breaking out here and there which sucks. I am starting a better lifestyle soon which will include more exercise , water and better eating so hopefully that will move things in a better direction. Still not sure why my skin is the way it is and I may never know ..... Updated on 14 Jan 2017: So since my last update i have started to break out on my forehead which has been historically pretty decent with or without treatment. It's itchy, red and the bumps are big. Rest of skin has been ok but due to weather my eczema is acting up. Went to my derm and she wants us to start reducing my spiro dosage. Not sure how i feel about that. Spiro has not been a miracle drug for me but it has been oh so helpful. Scared of next steps..... but like always, putting one step in front of the other and moving forward Updated on 5 Feb 2017: So as some of you may recall, i was using soolantra on my chin for what my derm thought was a cross between rosacea and perioral dermatitis. Well, about a month in, i have seen improvements! Not muching flaring up of those tiny bumps and hardly an irritation. Now i just get the regular acne pimples in that area. Summer time will be the true test of whether this continues to work. Spiro is going ok. I feel as if i am just getting regular acne as opposed to what i started with so i am truly greatful. My derm wants me to start tapering off in April but she said that i can wait to see how my skin reacts over the summer then start tapering. Any thoughts? It's terrifying to think what my future holds if i start messing with things. On to the acne update. Skin is doing ok. Starting to break out in putsules on my chin. It's been a while. Im starting the Whole 30 tomorrow to support my mom who wants to do it. Hopefully i can stick with it. Updated on 15 Mar 2017: The acne seems to have been reversing but now I'm dealing with some mild eczema and rosacea. Many things irritate it including extreme heat and cold, sweat, stress, poor eating, etc. my skin has been ding unusually well acne wise but due to the cold temps, I'm having some irritation and bumps on my cheeks. Hoping it doesn't last too long as it itches. How do other people with eczema and / or rosacea deal with your condition and exercising ? Updated on 16 Apr 2017: Wow, it's been while since I posted. I'm about nineteen months in and boy oh boy, what a difference. While my face is not crystal clear (I currently have four suckers), I do occasionally have clear or near clear days and my breakouts are rarely horrendous as they were. I had given up as early as December but I seemed to have turned a corner. I don't think I will ever be clear most or all of the time just because of my makeup (my mom still gets acne) and my lifestyle but I am grateful to be able to at least see peeks of the rainbow. In addition to spiro, I am taking soolantra on my chin and that has virtually kept those little bumps away so maybe it was rosacea indeed. My dermatologist and I will start weening off spiro in the Fall (September) so we'll see where life goes. I'm scared and nervous but hopefully everything will be alright. I hope to start getting in better shape with my diet and exercise as I do believe that doing those things will help my body do what it needs to do. Thanks for all the support and to anyone starting the journey, keep your heads up high and never give up, no matter what medication or method you are on. I'll keep everyone posted! Updated on 17 Apr 2017: This is why I say spiro has helped a lot but it doesn't help 100% of the time in clearing 100% of the acne. This breakout is definitely not the norm as of late and I contribute it to: lack of sleep, drinking ( I had given up alcohol a few years prior), terrible eating and some cross exposure to gluten, Florida heat and sun (I'm ending a vacation). Breakouts suck as I'm always fearful my acne is about to make a resurgence. This past week I started with a handful of popable pimples and I'm ending with more inflamed, non popable ones....sigh. Hope things clear up soon???? Updated on 19 Jul 2017: Hi everyone - it's been a while since I have updated with pictures. It's been crazy! Skin is doing better and the worst of the acne has cleared up. The bumps I am dealing with are more than likely related to my rosacea as my triggers bring them out (sweat, stress). I think I will be dealing with this for the foreseeable future but in comparison to my face when I first started, I am grateful. I recently started working out again and I hope to make it a habit as I am struggling with my weight and energy levels. I have taken up brisk walking and I hope to transition to running soon. For those who have wanted to give up on Spiro, please read my experiences. It will hopefully give you hope on your journey. Updated on 26 Jul 2017: So i recently started exercising again and what a difference it has made to my energy levels. I am doing brisk walking for 4 miles 4-5 times a week and i really like it. What i don't like as much is the tiny bumps that are popping up on my face (cheeks, mouth area, chin). Is this normal? is my skin adjusting to the new routine. My skin cannot tolerate exfoliation and the like so i've basically just been sticking to a wash and moisturize routine. Any insights? Still taking my spiro religiously. Updated on 16 Aug 2017: Hi everyone. I'm sorry for not keeping up with this blog as often as I should but since things have been repetitive, I thought there would be no point. I have attached some pictures taken today. As you can see, I have cleared up dramatically since day 1 but due to my other skin issues (eczema and rosacea) and a compromised skin barrier, I am still experiencing pimples. I don't believe these are the hormonal kind for the most part. I've had two on one of my cheeks for a few weeks and they hardly bother me as they don't seem to change. Above my lip though, on the other side is a cluster of pimples with white heads that just starts sprouting a couple of days ago. I had an issue in the same area less that two weeks ago so I'm hoping It clears up. It's been very hot and humid so that could be a contributing factor. Other than that, skin everywhere else is in a good place. I've pretty much given up on finding out why my skin behaves the way it does- it's just too stressful to think about. Hopefully this log continues to help someone who feels at the end of their rope like I did . Updated on 19 Aug 2017: The title says it all. I am totally and utterly frustrated. My chin has been inundated with little bumps (either from rosacea or the eczema or both). I also have a few large acne related pimples on the right side of my mouth. Inner cheeks and lip area have a smattering of pimples as well. My skin is so damn unpredictable that it is hard to find triggers and thus avoid them. Due to the more recent spate of more good days than bad, i had stopped tracking breakouts and now i am pissed that I did. This most recent irritation started this past Tuesday with my skin feeling tight and itchy. And now here we are on Saturday with less tightness but more bumps and acne. If my pattern holds true, i know this should start to go away in a week or so but then the cycle will repeat itself. Anyway, just needed to vent that and go on about my day. Thanks for listening....... Updated on 20 Sep 2017: My period is coming and unsurprisingly, I'm breaking out. Not terrible but annoying all the same. Updated on 20 Sep 2017: Updated on 20 Sep 2017: Updated on 20 Sep 2017: Updated on 3 Oct 2017: Breaking out on my left mouth/lip. Definitely acne (not eczema). Been a while since I had pimples this big. Annoyed to say the least, especially since I have a big event to attend this weekend. My period just ended too. On a side note, I think I may be allergic to apples. I get a tingly feeling in my throat when I eat them. I went apple picking this weekend and ate a ton of apples. Maybe the reason for this sideshow on my face ?!?! Trying to stay calm and collected. Updated on 11 Oct 2017: Will I ever get to the point where I'll be comfortable in the skin I have? I'm so tired of dealing with spiro, breakouts and the way it makes me feel (low). At 34, it seem like it won't be getting any easier...... Updated on 26 Oct 2017: Saw my derm yesterday and skin was fine. Today I have an acne eczema combo on my left upper lip. On my right chin,I have two large bumps. I think trying to ice the pimple on my lip irritated the surrounding area and wam! I’m annoyed. I put elidel on it and took two Benadryl but I have a feeling it won’t do much. Outbreaks like this usually take a few days to subside. Derm is weening me off spiro so we are dropping to 100 mg until my next visit in January. If my skin has not fallen apart by then we’ll go down to 50. In the meantime, she wants me to address diet....... I’m so over this Updated on 30 Oct 2017: Pictures will come in a follow up post for sure. My acne this week has been inflamed. I had an extremely large pimple under my chin which was a tiny pimple for weeks prior. Tried to pop it and guess what - should have left it alone cause it has hardened, is red and clearly not going anywhere. My lip has these inflamed bumps with no head and I have 2 semi inflamed pimples that have shrunk but are still hanging around. I’m definitely breaking out more fast and furious which could be a combo of stuff: Stress Bad eating Change in weather Stress And more stress Frustrated and disappointed but mostly tired.... literally. Haven’t had a full 8 hrs in week ..... Updated on 15 Nov 2017: My period had started this week so I thought it would be a good time to report in. I’m breaking out in inflamed acne, particularly around my mouth and above my lip. Five suckers right now with a few non inflamed acne and redness. I started tracking again to see when the worst of it comes. It seems to start with minor stuff a week before my period with everything getting worse during. There is a lull after and then a flare . My next goal is to restart eating healthier and stress reduction. Both are hard due to my line of work too. Hoping I have something positive to report soon Updated on 22 Nov 2017: I think this medication is beginning to let me down. I’m breaking out more consistently and it seems that I have more bad days than good. My chin has been a mess. A lot more inflamed stuff and painful too. Some of it cystic. I’m tired.... Updated on 26 Nov 2017: My skin has been in a weird place of irritation, acne and cysts . Updated on 2 Dec 2017: Yay for having only 3 inflamed pimples. Boo for having one of them be huge and red and unpoppable. Fortunately they are not painful but they have me dodging and weaving away from people ..... lol. Acne, I know you love me but babe, it’s time to move on. I’
